Numbering machine



July 25, 1950 E. PERSSON NUMBERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March25, 1946 July 25, 1950 E. PERssoN 2,516,721

' NUMBERING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ya 1 l/ I NVEN TOR. fen 57 PFFaSO/V suitable frictional connections, not shown,

i atented July 25:, 195G UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE Ernest iersson, NewYork, N. Y., assignor to The International Postal Supply Company, Brook-Lyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York -App'licatio'n March 25,1946,Serial No. 656,883

15.01aims. 1

This invention relates to a numbering machine and more particularly to amachine for printing numbers on checks, tickets, or the like, at highspeed.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a simple, rugged,consecutive numbering machine which may be used for a variety ofpurposes such or separate objects of this kind are to be numbered, thenumbering machine may be included in a suitable endorsing die preferablyoperated cyclically in start-stop fashion, so that an imprint is madeuniformly in a predetermined position on the respective checks objects.

Other features will be found in the following description given with theaidof the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is an elevational viewof a numbering machine according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a feed pawl assembly and part of theactuating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4 is a section taken through 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken through 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken through 66 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 shows a group of number wheels arranged in order, the units wheelbeing at the top of the figure.

The invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 together with a portion of amachine for endorsing checks or the like to illustrate the operation ofa preferred embodiment thereof. Various details of a complete endorsingmachine, such as the base, shaft bearings, motor, and parts of thefeeding mechanism have been omitted as they form no part of the presentinvention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a driving motor, not shown, drives a gear 40 ona-vertical shaft 4|. Secured to shaft 4! is a clutch cup 42 which drivesthrough a driven member 43 formed with a hollow concentric portionwithin which is detachably disposed an end portion of a spindle 44. Thedriven member 43 is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed recessesinto which fit splines 45 formed on spindle 44. The clutch cup 42rotates constantly as long as power is supplied, but the driven member43 is normally at'rest, being restrained from rotation by a tripmechanism, to be described, which when operated releases for onerevolution driven member 43 and a printing die 5| coupled 2 indicia tobe printed is disposed. The die is formed into -t-wo separable sectionsas will be described. The upper section of the die has a shaft 46projecting upwardly therefrom disposed concentricaliy with respect tospindle 44. Shaft 46 turns in a bearing 4'! in the bracket 48 attachedto upright 32 supported by the base of the machine, not shown.

Referring to Fig. '6, immediately under bracket 48, shaft has aconcentric shoulder 49 formed thereon of substantially greater'sdiameterthan the shaft. A roller support 50 provided with an arm '55 has anopening therein which fits over shoulder 49. A roller disposed in recess55 in arm :51, turns on the shank of a long screw 51 which extendsthrough the arm .51, and through flange 53 integral with the top portion52 ef the printing die, the screw being threaded into a suitable hole inthe part 5 l, thereby securing the roller 55 and roller support50 to theassembly.

The die is stopped invariably in the same angular position :each time itis released by means of a roller 60, F'ig. '2, pivoted at one endoflever (H which turns on :pivot '62 attached to the underside ofbracket 48-. The lever is operated by a check actuated trip mechanismwhich 'will be described in detail 'b'ellw. Roller is normallypositioned in the path of roller '55 so as to stop the rotary movementof the die. When the lever 6| is actuated by the trip mechanism, thelever is turned as shown in Fig. 2 to move the roller 60 out of the pathof roller 55 permitting the die to turn. In the normal position of restwhen the die is in stop position, the axes of rollers -55*and 60, aswell as that of lever '84, are disposed along a straight line, lever B!then restingagainst a stop pin 63. Only a slight amount of pressure isnecessary on lever 5| to upset this alignment, and once this is done,the torque exerted through the clutch on the die 31 and communicatedthereby to arm 51 and roller 55 turns roller 60 and lever 61 to one sideuntil the roller'5 5 and die are free, whereupon lever Bl snaps backagainst stop 63 bringing roller '55 again into position to stop the dieat the end of the cycle.

A spring post 65 is adjustably secured in an opening in bracket 48 by aclamping screw 65. A spring 61 is fastened between a turned over endportion of the spring post and lever 6 for the purpose of resilientlyholding the lever against its stop pin '63. The tension of the-spring isadjustable as required by clamping the spring post by screw '66 in thedesired position.

One end of a trip tongue link To is pivotally connected to the undersideand near the end of the opposite arm of lever'fil by a screw 1 I, whilethe opposite end of the link it is pivotally connected by stud 12 to thetrip tongue 73, the latter being a lever .having as a fulcrum a stud T4supported by the arm 15 of a lever '16. The latter lever has offsetarms, a second and upper arm 11 die continues to rotate.

3 thereof being disposed adjacent the lower surface of bracket 48. Thearms are connected by a hollow shank 18 through which extends a headedpivot rod 19 which projects into an opening in a block 89 fastened tothe side of bracket 48. The rod 19 is held in place by screws BI.

A spring 85 fastened at one end to arm 1! of lever 15 and at the otherto bracket 48 tends to hold arm 11 against a stop 86 formed in block 89.When the lever rests against the stop, the trip tongue pivot 14 isslightly below the pivot 19 of lever 16 as shown in Fig. 2. With thisarrangement checks or other matter passing through the machine willactuate trip tongue lever 13 only about its pivot 14 thus releasing thedie for rotation. However, pressure on the end of lever 13 in any otherdirection than toward the left of the drawing, as shown by the arrow inFig. 2 will rock lever 15 about its fulcrum and this movement will betaken up as rotary displacements of link about its pivots I l and 12without imparting the thrust to lever 6| necessary to rock the same torelease the die 3!. The trip tongue may be pushed back clear of theguideway when desired without causing undesired actuation of the die andthe numbering mechanism therein. Guard members 81 and 88 attached tobracket 48 are disposed respectively above and below trip lever 19 toprotect the same against unwanted operations and to serve in cooperationwith a guide plate 53 disposed in spaced relation thereto to guide thematter being printed or endorsed.

The upper part of die 3| comprises a discshaped member indicatedgenerally by reference character 52 attached concentrically to shaft 46.A groove 54 formed part way around the member where it is enlarged intoa deep slot or recess 9|, defines the upper flange portion 58 and alower portion 59 of member 52, the lower and upper surfaces of thesemembers being respectively the upper and lower walls of recess 9|. Thelateral dimensions of the recess are shown by the unshaded portion ofFig. 5, where the shaded portion 99 is the part of the end piece bywhich flange 58 is connected to the lower part 59.

Alever 92 which actuates the consecutive numbering mechanism issupported in the recess 90 on a pivot 93 eccentrically disposed withrespect to the axis of die 3!. An end 94 of the lever projects beyondthe periphery of the endpiece 52 and engages a pin or stop 95 dependingfrom bracket 48, Fig. l, with each rotation of the die thereby rockingthe lever on its pivot. Since the pivot 99 is off center with respect tothe axis of the die, it will readily disengage itself from pin 95 as theThe opposite end 95 of the lever is bifurcated, and between its two armsis a pin 91 fixed to a plate 98 disposed immediately underneath thelower part 59 of the end piece and extending upward through a ratherlarge, approximately centrally located opening 83 in the part 59communicating with recess 9!.

Plate 98 is a part of a cage-like arrangement carrying feed pawls, whichis oscillated by lever 92 about an axis, with each revolution of die 3!.

Plate 98 is attached in spaced relation to a similar plate 99 by meansof shoulder pins I09 and I9], Figs. 3 and 5, the latter serving as ashaft for an assembly of number wheel actuating pawls fixed in spacedrelation to a tubular member I02 which is free to turn on shaft I0 I. v

A shaft I99 having a plurality of number wheels thereon extends throughplates 98 and 99 and forms the axis about which these plates areoscillated. The plates turn respectively between shoulders at oppositeends of shaft I06 and the upper and lower end walls of the space withinthe die, the upper end of shaft 196 turning in a bearing in the upperend piece 59, and the lower end of the shaft being disposed in a bearingin the base "ll of the die which is formed integrally with thecylindrical wall E98 of the die. Wall 498 has a longitudinal opening inthe side thereof through which project the portion of the number wheelsto be presently used for a printing operation. The upper and lower partsof the die, including the cylindrical wall, are fastened together bysuitable dowel pins and screws, not shown.

In Fig. 7, four number Wheels H I, H2, H3 and H4 are shown arranged inorder, the top wheel IH being the units wheel and the lowermost wheelH4, the thousands wheel. Each number wheel has a ratchet wheel attachedthereto which is actuated by a pawl of the actuating pawl assembly. PawlH5 actuates ratchet wheel H6 of the unit number wheel Hi; pawl H1 theratchet wheel H8 of the tens wheel H2; pawl H9 the ratchet wheel I29 ofthe hundreds wheel I I3; and pawl l2l actuates the ratchet wheel I22 ofthe thousands wheel H4. The interior of die 3| is preferably largeenough to permit the use of a greater number of number wheels, ifnumbering beyond the capacity of the four wheels shown is required.Furthermore, one or more manually movable wheels carrying variousindicia, such as for dating purposes, or the like, can be mounted onshaft I96, space being provided for this purpose below the numberwheels.

With each revolution of die 3!, as already described, lever 94 rocks thecage arrangement about shaft Hi5. Lever 99 and the cage are restored totheir normal position by a spring H3, Figs. 4 and 5, disposed in arecess in the under side of end piece 59, the spring having one endattached to a spring post on the upper surface of plate 94 and the otherattached to a hook (29, attached to end piece 59. The rocking movementimparted by the initial movement of lever 99 withdraws the pawls I ll l4so that they are in position to drop behind the next tooth of theassociated ratchet wheel. The spring 123 thereafter is'effective torestore the lever 99 and cage to normal thus advancing the position ofthe wheels engaged by the pawls by one tooth. As will be explained,lever 94 is usually effective to advance only'the units number wheel Hi,the other wheels being advanced only when a carryover operation isnecessary.

In order to provide for carry-over, the noses of actuating pawls H5--l2lprogressively differ in length, pawl I I5 for the units wheel having thelongest nose, while pawl l2l for the thousands wheel has the shortestnose. Since all of these pawls are fixed to the tubular member I92, allare displaced away from their ratchets except pawl H5 due to the longnose of the latter, except when a carry over occurs when one or more ofthe other pawls will be effective to operate their ratchets, thearrangement operating as follows: When any of the wheels is in positionto print a 9, the next operation of lever 94 effective to advance thatwheel will turn the wheel to 0" position. In the latter position, all ofthe wheels except the thousands wheel have progressively greater thannormal depressions between their particular pairs of ratchet teeth. FromFig. 7, it may be seen that the spaces between all teeth of thethousands wheel are uniform. Wheel I29 has a slight but noticeabledepression I39 for the terc position,- while the correspondingpositions. of wheels H2 and-Hi have progressively deeper depressions i3!and I32. v The *pawls ofthe actuating pawl assembly ma beurgedtoward-their ratchets by any suitable means such as by a spring I33attached between one of the pawls and pin me. With each operapawl shaftllil in a clockwise direction whichwill be sufficient to permitthe pawlill of the next higher wheel to be lowered enough to engage the nextratchet tooth thereof, and on the return movement of the cage assemblycaused by spring i23, both the units wheel HI andthe tens wheel I12 willbe advanced one step. With the next following operation, pawl H5 will beriding on the higher spot between the next ratchet teeth and also thosefollowing, andthe remain-' ing pawls remain out of engagement with theassociated ratchets until wheel Hi again reaches the zero position andthe carry over occurs again advancing wheel H2 another step.

.Wlien wheel H2 is at the zero position, and pawl I [5 of wheel i l Idrops intothe deep depression, the pawl assembly will turn throughastill greater angle about the common pawl shaft fill in a clockwisedirection permitting pawl lie to engage and advance the hundredths wheelH3 one tooth. In the same manner, when the space I of wheel H3 is underpawl IE9, all pawls will turn sufficiently for pawl I21 oi the highestorder wheel -l i l to drop behinda, tooth and-ash Vance the ratchet 122one step. The wheels-are shown lined up in Fig. 7 for the latteroperation, the first three wheels being each ,pcsitionedto print 937Withv the following retraction of, the pawl assembly, .all three pawlswill drop into their zero position notches, and when they. are ad theyare held in spaced, relation by spacing sleeves I31. Each pawl E ispressed toward its ratchet by a spring I 38 attached to a vertical rodI39 held in openings formedin opposite ends 59 andlfl'l of die 3|.

When used with a check endorsing machine of the type-referred to, theinvention operates as follows: Assume that checks or other objects arefed one at a time by any suitable means through the guideway formed byguide plate 53 and members 31 and 88, a pair of feed rollersbeingindicated by dotted lines in the plan view Fig- 2 as a part of amechanism for this purpose. There is a space between roller 3d and thesurface of the die when in position of rest. Through; this space thechecks are fed and the forwardedge thereof engages trip lever 13 androcks the same clear of the guide way thereby releasing the diewhichrotates one revolution rolling the inked endorsing or printing indiciathereon as the check passes through the guideway, the numbering wheelsbeing effective to consecutively number the checks as they. pass. Witheach revolutionof the die, the number wheels are advanced by one unitasdescribed. Any suitable device, such as an inkingr'ollentnotshown, maybe iised to ink the did.

In order to insure accurate operation; the-numbering' mechanism shouldbe cleaned frequently. The detachable coupling by which shaft id isconnected' with the clutch permitsthe die to be easily removed from themachine for cleaning.

-' While but one illustrative embodiment of the invention has beenherein shown and described, it will be understoodthat numerous details:of the arrangement may be altered without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as definedby rocking the plates on the shaft and therebycausing the pawl means to actuate the number wheels which comprises alever supported by the member operatively connected to the plates, and astop disposed in the path of the lever for engaging and operating thesame with each revolution of the member.

' 2. In a numbering machine, a printing member supported foruni-directional, rotation about an axis, ashaftsuppQrted by the memberin parallel ofB-set relation to said axis, an assembly of numberingwheels each provided with a ratchet disposed for rotation on the shaft,a lever pivotally supported, by the member having a slot formed in one,arm, a stop pin disposed in the path of a second arm of the levereffective to trip the same with each revolution of the member, a pair ofplatesrespectively disposed on the shaft on opp0- site sides of thenumbering wheels, means for actuating the plates by the lever comprisinga member fixed to the plates and extending into the slot in the leverand pawl means supported alongside the numbering wheels by the plateseffective on the. actuation of the plates to advance the number wheels.

3. In an endorsing machine having a hollow die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof and formed with a longitudinal opening in the sidethereof, thedie member being supported for rotation by shafts coaxially fixed at theends thereof, the improvement which comprises means for consecutivelynumbering the endorsements as printed which comprises a shaft supportedwithin the member adjacent said opening in parallel off-set relation tothe axis of the die member, an assembly of number wheels disposed forrotation on the shaft and in register with the matter to be printed onthe surface of the die member, a. lever supported by the die member, astop pin disposed in the path of the lever efiective to trip the samewith each revolution of the die member, pawl means for advancing thenumber wheels, and actuating means for the pawl means comprising a pinand slot mechanism operatively connecting the pawl means with one arm ofthe'lever.

4. In' an endorsing machine having a hollow die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof and formed with a longitudinal opening in the side thereoffthedie member being supported for rotation by shafts coaxially disposed atthe ends thereof, the improvement which comprises means forconsecutively numbering the endorsements as printed which comprises ashaft supported within the member adjacent said opening in paralleloff-set relation to the axis of the die member, an assembly of numberwheels each provided with a ratchet disposed for rotation on the shaft,a lever supported by the member having a slot formed in one arm, a stoppin disposed in the path of the opposite arm of the lever effective totrip the same with each revolution of the member, pawl means for therespective ratchets, a pin disposed in the slot operatively connected tothe pawl means effective to actuate the pawl means to advance the numberwheels with each operation of the lever by the stop pin, and a rotaryplaten cooperating with the die member.

5. In an endorsing machine having a hollow die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof and formed with a longitudinal opening in the side thereof, thedie member being supported for rotation :by shafts coaxially disposed atthe ends thereof, means for consecutively numbering the endorsements asprinted which comprises a shaft supported within the member adjacentsaid opening in parallel off-set relation to the axis of the die member,an assembly of number wheels each provided with a ratchet disposed forrotation on the shaft, a lever pivotally supported by the member, a stoppin disposed in the path of one arm of the lever effective to trip thesame with each revolution of the member, a pair of platesrespectivelydisposed on the shaft on opposite sides of the number wheels, actuatingmeans for the plates comprising a slidable connection between a secondarm of the lever and the plates and pawl means supported alongside thenumber wheels by the plates effective on the actuation of the plates toadvance the number wheels. I I

r 6. In an endorsing machine having ahollow die member generallycylindrical in shapewith' matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof, and formed with a longitudinal opening in the side thereof, thedie member being supported to turn about its axis, means forconsecutively numbering the endorsements as printed which comprises ashaft supported within the member adjacent said opening in paralleloff-set relation to the axis of the die member, an assembly of numberwheels eachprovided with a ratchet disposed for rotation on the shaft, alever pivotally supported by the member, a stop pin disposed in the pathof the lever effective to trip the same with each revolution of themember, a pair of plates actuated by the lever respectively disposed onthe shaft on opposite sides of the number wheels, pawl means supportedalong: side the number wheels by the plates effective on the actuationof the plates to advance the number wheels, and a spring attached tothe,

lever for restoring the same to-a position of rest and thereby effectinga corresponding displacement of the plates and also the pawls.

7. In a numbering machine,, a member supported for unidirectionalrotation about an axis, a shaft supported by the member in paralleloffset relation to saidaxis, an assembly of number wheels disposed forrotation on the shaft, a pair of plates respectively disposed on theshaft on opposite sides of the number wheel assembly, pawl means for,actuatin the number wheels pivotally supported by the plates, means forrocking the plates on the shaft and thereby causing the pawl means toactuate the number wheels which comprises a lever supported by themember operatively connected to the plates, a stop disposed in the pathof the lever for engaging and operating .the same with each revolutionof the member, and a start stop mechanism controlling the rotation ofthe member effective to initiate the successive tripping operations ofthe lever. I

8. In an endorsing machine having a hollo die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof and formed with a longitudinal opening.

in the side thereof, the die member being supported for rotation byshafts coaxially disposed at the ends thereof, means for consecutivelynumbering the endorsements as printed which comprises a shaft supportedwithin the member adjacent said opening in parallel off-set relation tothe axis of the die member, an assembly of number wheels disposed forrotation on the shaft and in register with the matter to be printed onthe surface of the die member, a lever supported by the die member, astop pin disposed in the path of one arm of the lever effective to tripthe same with each revolution of the die member, pawl means foroperating the number wheels, a rockable support for the pawl means,means including a pin and slot mechanism connecting the support .with asecond arm of the lever to effect the operation of the pawl means toadvance the number wheels with each tripping operation of the lever, arotary platen cooperating with the die member, and a start-stopmechanism controlling the rotation of the die member effective toinitiate the respective operations of the number wheels.

9. In an endorsing machine having a hollow die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof and formed with a longitudinal opening in the side thereof, thedie member being supported for rotation by shafts coaxially disposed atthe ends thereof, means for consecutively numbering the endorsements asprinted which comprises a shaft supported within the member adjacentsaid opening in parallel ofi-set relation to the axis of the die member,an assembly of number wheels each provided with a ratchet disposed forrotation on the shaft, a lever supported by the member, a stop pindisposed in the path of one arm of the lever effective to trip the samewith each' revolution of the member, pawl means for the respectiveratchets, a rockable support for the pawl means, means connecting asecond arm of the lever to the support effective to rock the same andactuate the pawl means to operate the number wheels .with each operationof the lever by the stop pin, a rotary platen cooperating with the diemember, and a start-stop mechanism controlling the rotation of the diemember effective to initiate therespective operations of the numberwheels.

10. In an endorsing machine having a hollow die member generallycylindrical in shape with matter to be printed disposed on the surfacethereof, and formed with a longitudinal opening in the side thereof, thedie member being supported to turn about its axis, means forconsecutively numbering the endorsements as printed which comprises ashaft supported within the die member adjacent said opening in paralleloff-set relation to the axis of the die member, an assembly of numberwheels each provided with a ratchet disposed for rotation on the shaft,a lever pivotally supported by the die member eccentrically with respectto the axis thereof, a stop pin disposed in the path of the levereffective to trip the same with each revolution of the die member, apair of plates actuated by the lever respectively disposed on the shafton opposite sides of the numbering wheel assembly, pawl means supportedalongside the numbering wheels by the plates effective on the. actuationof the plates to advance the number wheels, a spring attached to thelever for restoring the same to a position of rest and thereby effectinga corre sponding displacement of the plates and also the pawls, and astart-stop mechanism controlling the rotation of the die membereffective to initi ate the respective operations of the number wheels.

11. In a numbering mechanism adapted to be used with check endorsingapparatus and the like, a rotatable hollow cylindrical member carryingcheck endorsing indicia on its surface and formed with a longitudinalslot, a set of numbering wheels for consecutively numbering theendorsements supported Within the cylindrical member adjacent to theslot and partially projecting through the slot, a pair of platespivotally supported respectively on opposite sides of the set of numberwheels, a set of number wheel actuating paw-ls supported between theplates, a member formed with a recess in its edge fixed to thecylindrical member adjacent one of the plates, a pin fixed to the latterplate extending into the recess, a lever pivotally mounted in the recesshaving a first arm projecting beyond the surface of the cylindricalmember, and a second arm engaging the pin, and a stationary pin disposedin the path of the first lever arm for engaging and rocking the sametogether with the plates to cause operation of the number wheels by theactuating pawls.

12. In a numbering mechanism adapted to be used with check endorsingapparatus and the like, a rotatable hollow cylindrical member carryingcheck endorsing indicia on its surface formed with a longitudinal slot,a shaft supported within the cylindrical member, a pair of platessecured in spaced relation to each other supported for rocking movementon the shaft, a lever pivoted to one end of the cylindrical memberhaving one arm pivotally connected to the plates and another armprojecting beyond the surface of the cylindrical member, a fixed stopdisposed in the path of the latter arm effective when engaged there byto rock the lever which in turn rocks the plates, a set of number wheelsmounted on the shaft between the plates disposed to partially projectoutwardly through the slot and pawl means carried adjacent the numberwheels by the plates effective on the rocking thereof to actuate the setof number wheels.

13. In a numbering mechanism adapted to be used with check endorsingapparatus and the like, a rotatable hollow cylindrical member formedwith a longitudinal opening, a shaft supported within the cylindricalmember, a pair of plates secured in spaced relation to each othersupported for rocking movement on the shaft, a lever pivoted to one endof the cylindrical member having one arm formed with a slot and anotherarm projecting beyond the surface of the drum, a pin disposed in theslot fixed to one of the platesfor communicating rocking movement of thelever to the plates, a set of number wheels mounted on the shaft betweenthe plates disposed to project through the longitudinal opening slightlybeyond the outer surface of the cylindrical member for printingpurposes, and pawl means disposed between the plates and pivotallysupported thereby for actuating the number wheels on the rocking of theplates.

14. In a numbering mechanism adapted to be used with check endorsingapparatus and the like, a rotatable bi-partite printing die assemblycomprising a hollow cylindrical member closed at one end and formed witha longitudinal opening and a relatively thick disc having a slot in itsedge secured to and forming a closure for the opposite end of thecylindrical member, a shaft supported within the cylindrical memberbetween the ends thereof, a pair of plates secured in spaced relation toeach other supported for rocking movement on the shaft, a leverpivotally supported in the slot having one arm pivotally connected tothe plates and another arm projecting beyond the surface of thecylindrical member, a fixed stop disposed in the path of the latter armeffective when engaged thereby to rock the lever 5' which in turn rocksthe plates, a set of number wheels mounted on the shaft between theplates disposed to partially project outwardly through the longitudinalopening, and pawl means pivotally supported between the plates effectiveon the rocking thereof to actuate the set of number wheels.

15. In a numbering mechanism adapted to be used with check endorsingapparatus and the like, a rotatable bi-partite printing die assemblycomprising a hollow cylindrical member closed at one end and formed witha longitudinal opening, and a relatively thick disc having a recess inits edge secured to and forming a closure for the opposite end of thecylindrical member, a shaft supported within the cylindrical member bythe respective ends thereof, a pair of plates secured in spaced relationto each other supported for rocking movement on the shaft, an actuatinglever for rocking the plates pivotally supported in the recess havingone arm formed with a slot and a second arm projecting beyond the edgeof the disc, a pin disposed in the slot fixed to one of the plates, aset of number wheels mounted on the shaft between the plates disposed toproject through the longitudinal opening slightly beyond the outersurface of the cylindrical member for printing purposes, and pawl meansdisposed between the plates and pivotally supported thereby foractuating the number wheels on the rocking of the plates.

ERNEST PERSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 209,647 Brady Nov. 5, 1878288,295 Barth Nov. 13, 1883 359,583 Watson Mar. 15, 1887 571,659 GrobertNov. 17, 1896 1,234,511 Vasquez July 24, 1917 1,290,509 Chandler Jan. 7,1919 1,488,667 Duncan Apr. 1, 1924 2,119,053 Paxton May 31, 19382,172,318 Ferguson Sept. 5, 1939 2,364,345 Cooper Dec. 5, 1944 2,406,040Ryan Aug. 20, 1946'

